The First Team and the Guadalcanal Campaign: Naval Fighter Combat from August to November 1942

From huddled command conferences to cramped cockpits, John Lundstrom guides readers through the maelstrom of air combat at Guadalcanal in this impressively researched sequel to his earlier study. Picking up the story after Midway, the author presents a scrupulously accurate account of what happened, describing in rich detail the actual planes and pilots pitted in the ferocious battles that helped turn the tide of war. Based on correspondence with 150 American and Japanese veterans, or their families, he reveals the thoughts, pressures, and fears of the airmen and their crews as he reconstructs the battles. These are the story of the Wildcat and Zero fighters, and the Dauntless, Avenger, Betty, Kate, and Val bombers. Lavishly illustrated with drawings, maps, and photographs, this fresh look at the campaign set a standard for aviation histories when first published in 1994.

• The First Team: Pacific Naval Air Combat from Pearl Harbor to Midway
• The First South Pacific Campaign: Pacific Fleet Strategy December 1941 - June 1942
• Shattered Sword: The Untold Story of the Battle of Midway
• Twilight of the Gods: War in the Western Pacific, 1944-1945 (Vol. 3) (Pacific War Trilogy)
• Guadalcanal: The Definitive Account of the Landmark Battle
• How Carriers Fought: Carrier Operations in WWII
• The Battle of Midway (Pivotal Moments in American History)
• Neptune's Inferno: The U.S. Navy at Guadalcanal
• The First Team: Pacific Naval Air Combat from Pearl Harbor to Midway
• Black Shoe Carrier Admiral: Frank Jack Fletcher at Coral Sea, Midway, and Guadalcanal